Family Activities in Verona and Around Lake Garda

October 30, 2026

Family Activities in Verona

Children tend to enjoy Verona most when the day mixes one big outing with short, free stops. The notes below sort the options by how far you travel, with opening rules that matter when you plan.

Within the city

Funicular to Castel San Pietro. The short ride starts at Via Fontanelle Santo Stefano 6. It runs 10:00 to 21:00 daily from April to 25 October and 10:00 to 17:00 from 26 October to March, with closures on 25 December and 1 January. The hilltop terrace costs nothing. No children’s fare is published, so ask when you buy.

Ponte Scaligero. This fortified bridge next to Castelvecchio is free to walk across. Castelvecchio itself is closed on Mondays.

Giardino Giusti. It is a Renaissance garden at Via Giardino Giusti 2, not a zoo. The boxwood labyrinth and the cypress terraces are the draw. It opens daily except 25 December, and restoration work may close some areas.

The Arena by day. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 19:00 with last entry at 18:30; closed on Mondays and sometimes early on show days.

A short trip out of town

Parco Natura Viva, Bussolengo. Visitors can combine a drive-through safari with a walking zoo. The 2026 season began on 14 February and tickets run to 6 January 2027, and a Park plus Safari ticket at the gate costs 30 EUR. Children from 0 to 2 are free. Check the park’s price page for the date you plan to go.

Parco Giardino Sigurta, Valeggio sul Mincio. A botanical park with a boxwood maze, lawns and an educational farm. In 2026 it opened from 7 March to 15 November, 09:00 to 19:00. Adults pay roughly 16 to 18 EUR depending on the source. See sigurta.it for the next season’s dates.

Gardaland and SEA LIFE. The theme park at Castelnuovo del Garda has a seasonal calendar and does not run all year. The SEA LIFE Aquarium there is sold separately and is the nearest aquarium to Verona.

Lake Garda days

Peschiera del Garda is 13 to 19 minutes by regional train. The beaches around the lake are mostly pebble, not sand. Sirmione is farther, with no direct train.

Practical tips

A VeronaCard (33 EUR for 24 hours, 38 EUR for 48 hours) includes city buses and many civic sights, though it does not cover the Aerobus.
The 2027 Arena festival has a family tribune with a per-child rate for under 14s; the family sector release was still pending at the time of writing, so check arena.it.
Crowded buses and lanes near Juliet’s courtyard attract pickpockets.

Compare family tickets: Verona family tours on Viator .